Free Republic

The Supreme Court said Monday that it will hear a challenge to the Trump administration's use of Pentagon money to build the southern border wall and also its appeal of a ruling that blocked a policy sending asylum applicants to Mexico while they wait for their appeals to be heard. A federal appeals court ruled in June that the government improperly diverted $2.5 billion of Pentagon counterdrug program money to build more than 100 miles of border wall... The Supreme Court will hear the case early next year, with a decision by the spring. But if Joe Biden wins the...

U.S. Southern Command Doral, Florida 1:28 P.M. EDT  THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much, everybody.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)  And thank you to our great Admiral Faller.  Thank you also to all of the exceptional leaders and talents that we have in this room.  U.S. Southern Command is just an outstanding group of people.  Thank you very much — very much, Admiral.We’re here today to discuss our vital effort to keep deadly drugs out of our country and away from our children.  And, wow, are we making progress in a short period of time, thanks to you.  (Applause.) ...

British Special Forces are conducting covert operations against drug smugglers in southern Afghanistan for the first time. The operations represent a shift from the British military's long-held opposition to direct involvement in Afghanistan's drugs war. British Special Forces in Helmand province had previously been limited to targeting members of the Taliban leadership. A British Army patrol passes a field of poppies in Helmand province The operations are being conducted at night with members of Battalion 333, a secretive unit from the elite Afghan counter-narcotics police. Nato commanders have long been resistant to taking a direct role in the drugs war,...

USS UNDERWOOD, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Underwood (FFG 36) Sailors are making efforts in counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean Sea during the month of April as part of Partnership of the Americas. Underwood deployed March 24 from Naval Station Mayport, Fla., to conduct counter-narco-terrorism operations (CNT-OPS) in the western Caribbean to stop illegal drugs from reaching the United States. “We‘re out here with other units patrolling in search of drug smugglers as part of our nation’s continuing war on drugs,” said Cmdr. Roderick Fraser, commanding officer of Underwood. Sailors along with an attached U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement detachment...

The Defense Department and other federal agencies may soon be able to implement new drug testing for its work force that will include testing hair, sweat and saliva to detect drug abuse. Army Col. Mick Smith, senior staff officer for drug demand reduction at DoD's counternarcotics office, said the new procedures will be permitted once the Department of Health and Human Services approves proposed guidelines for the test and DoD completes a subsequent internal approval process. Those guidelines awaiting DHHS approval will outline quality standards for new types of drug tests, specifically testing hair, oral fluid, sweat and urine, using...